Page 4 of Plot Twist

3

TEN YEARS AGO

‘Gawd, Bec, if we want to get to Tenerife this summer, we really need to get these jobs. I hope I don’t fuck it up. I’m useless when they ask me things like where I’d like to be in five years. Eh, hello? Rich husband, obviously,’ Rae said, gazing over her sunglasses at me.

‘Well, that’s truly aspirational.’ I rolled my eyes at her. ‘We will totally get these jobs. They’ll be begging us to come and work for them. We’re free for the summer and we’re sober most days. What more could they want? Plus, it’s a theme park so I’m not sure they’ll care where you’d like to be in five years.’

I was right.

‘Uniforms are hanging up inside. Shift finishes at six,’ the boss said, barely giving us a second look.

‘What, we’re starting today?’ Rae asked.

‘Yup. Smile and don’t steal, you keep it.’

He opened the portacabin and showed us to the staff toilet to get changed.

‘Eeeek!’ Rae exclaimed, as she flipped open her lipstick and adjusted her hair in the mirror. ‘You go first, I’ll fix my face. Tenerife here we come! If you like piña coladas. . .’

She sang as I wrestled the small top over my head in the single loo.

I buttoned up the shirt and opened the door.

‘Weeet, woo!’ Rae said, applying her bright red lipstick. ‘Give me a twirl.’

I laughed and twirled around in my new khaki trousers and light blue top, shaking my bum.

‘I see you baby, shaking that ass,’ she sang on the way into the loo.

‘I’ll wait for you outside,’ I called as I opened the door to leave.

‘Hey,’ a voice said.

A tall twenty-something man wearing the same light blue shirt stood with one hand tucked into his shorts pocket.

‘Hey,’ I replied. ‘You working here too?’

‘What gave it away?’

‘Wild guess,’ I replied, raising an eyebrow at our matching uniforms.

‘You’re new?’

‘I am. Starting in the ice cream truck apparently.’

‘No shit,’ he said. ‘Well, you must be the girl I’ve been told to train. Don’t worry, you’re in the best possible hands. So, who did I end up with? The boss said it would be Becca or Rae?’

‘You’ve ended up with Becca.’ I smiled.

He grinned. ‘Nice one. I’m Drew. I work in the ice cream truck. They call me Mr Whippy.’

I looked up at his mischievous brown eyes and grinned.

I knew then and there that I was a goner.

4

I could almost hear Rae’s voice whispering in my ear: ‘All family and no fucking fun. Let’s get out of here.’